US authorities accused Mexican citizen Francisco Azian Baena of collaborating with Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) to smuggle drugs into the US in large quantities and launder almost $7 million from this activity through cryptocurrency.

According to court documents released Thursday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after a three-year investigation, charged Asiain Bahena with leads a network that smuggles methamphetamine and cocaine. To the United States.

Asiain Bahena, according to DHS, has committed crimes for which facing accusations money laundering conspiracy, drug trafficking and drug importation, among others.

Federal agency in the course of operations against the organization Asiain Bahena, intercepted $2.4 million from the drug trade.

According to DHS, Asiain Bahena was affiliated with the CJNG crime groupknown for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to the United States.

The cartel operates not only in the state of Jalisco and its capital Guadalajara, but also in Guanajuato and Michoacan, organization with branches in the United States.

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The case dates back to March 2020, when U.S. security forces received a tip from an informant who was collaborating with authorities and facing federal drug trafficking charges who revealed that Asiain Bahena launders millions of dollars from drug trafficking in bitcoins.

DHS had an undercover federal agent He will introduce himself as a money launderer. from South Florida with experience in generating drug proceeds and converting amounts received from illegal activities into bitcoin funds.

The agent struck up a relationship with Asiain Bahena and met him six times in the US.

In May 2021, Asiain Bahena traveled to Broward County, South Florida and met with an undercover officer at a location unknown to the perpetrator. was under police surveillance.

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Asiayin Bahena and the agent discussed the officer using hidden compartments in the car of one of the drug dealer’s accomplicesand smuggling drugs into the U.S. from Mexico using a truck-trailer whose conversation was recorded.

The accused and his accomplices were later traced to the United States. using GPS devices that federal agents placed in two cars used to transport millions of dollars of drug proceeds.

During the investigation, law enforcement officers stopped vehicles when entered Broward County and seized over $500,000 in cash.

In January 2022, Asiain Bahena and several relatives were scheduled to travel to Chicago to meet with an undercover officer to select various locations in the state of Texas from where the Mexican citizen can arrange drug delivery for transportation throughout the country.

All of these facts were used by DHS to charge Asiain Bahena with money launderingdrug trafficking and drug importation.

According to local media reports, drug cartels in Mexico are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies to launder money. (EFE)